Taylor Thomson ’16 felt like the luckiest student at St. Lawrence University last semester. In truth, she may just have been the second luckiest. Taylor was No. 2 in the housing lottery, earning her the opportunity to have the pick of just about any room on campus for the fall semester, including a room in the new residence hall.

“Look at this view,” she said, as she pointed out the large first-floor window practically in the center of the new residence hall overlooking the newly renovated Quad and Gunnison Memorial Chapel. “When I got picked, I looked at a map of the (new) residence hall and chose this room right away.”

Taylor, who is from Alexandria Bay, N.Y., had lived at 25 College for the last two years in a small private room, where she said she could practically touch either wall with her arms outstretched. Now, she and Rachael Patraw ’16 have earned themselves a piece of prime real estate.

“We love the white board just outside our room, too,” said Rachael of Lake Clear, N.Y., who was referring to a commons area just around the corner from their room. “We’re both science majors and it’s hard to find a free white board in Johnson (Hall of Science). Now, we can just walk outside our door.”

St. Lawrence University opened the $14 million facility to returning students for the fall 2014 semester. The new residence hall – which has yet to be named – features a glass bridge commons area, a first-floor café and energy-efficient geothermal heating and cooling. And with temperatures well into the 80’s during move-in days, students in the new residence hall were appreciative of the A/C.

“We’re loving the air conditioning,” said Nils Tangemann ’17, a community assistant who was being visited by Jamie Hodgedon ’17 whose room in an existing residence hall does not have air conditioning. “It’s so nice to be able to control your own temperature. I also love having my own bathroom and not having to walk down the hall and share it with a bunch of other people.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, geothermal heat pumps are the most energy-efficient, environmentally friendly and cost-effective systems for temperature control.

The new residence hall will provide housing to as many as 155 St. Lawrence students. Meanwhile, the renovated Quad in front of the new residence hall has added additional green space, a level area in the center and terraced steps leading to a promenade in front of Gunnison Memorial Chapel.

The new residence hall's grab-and-go cyber café will be open for the start of classes from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday and daily afterward. Dining Services will serve muffins and bagels plus coffee and juice in the mornings. The lunch menu will include sandwiches and salads made to order, cookies and beverages.